1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling system configurations, and more particularly relates to a platform independent imaging method and system for configuring software of an information handling system platform.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
The wide variety of hardware platforms and software configurations available for information handling systems provides business enterprises with great flexibility to purchase information handling systems adapted to handle desired functions. However, the use of varied hardware platforms and software configurations typically introduces complexity to the purchase and maintenance of information handling systems for an enterprise. For instance, a business enterprise often orders information handling systems over a time period resulting in the purchase of a variety of hardware platform configurations. Thus, a business enterprise often must attempt to maintain a uniform operating system and a set of uniform applications on different hardware platforms. As an example, a business enterprise typically maintains a predetermined version of WINDOWS and commonly-used enterprise applications for word processing and other functions, such as WORD and EXPLORER, on platforms with different processors, memory and peripherals, such as monitors and printers.
In order to configure information handling systems with consistent operating system and application loads for an enterprise customer, information handling system manufacturers typically load images with the desired configuration on a manufactured information handling system. An alternative to the use of an image is the use of an unattended installation, which loads a defined software configuration from an installation share point. In the event that difficulties arise after the information handling system is delivered, the business enterprise may re-install the software configuration by using the image or unattended installation used by the manufacturer.
One difficulty with maintaining a uniform software configuration for a business enterprise is that the image and unattended installation techniques for loading a software configuration lack the flexibility and reliability for re-installation across a wide variety of platforms of a business enterprise. Image installations are generally fast, simple and static, however, image installations generally require one image for each target platform and are inflexible in that any software configuration changes generally require the creation of a new image. In addition, transitions to new platforms usually require the creation of a new image with image management for multiple different platforms prone to expensive mistakes. Unattended installations are flexible and extendable in the support of multiple target platforms from a single installation share point, with new platforms added without effecting existing loads. New platforms are supported by unattended installations by adding new drivers and, if all target platforms need a similar change, a single modification to the installation share point will accommodate the change. However, unattended installations are generally difficult to create and modify and have a slow installation speed, often in excess of an hour, that typically precludes information handling system manufacturers from the use of unattended installations.